This Still Life
by CrumblingFool
Summary: The Twi25: 3 months, 25 picture prompts, drabbles and one shots.
1. Chapter 1

**The Twilight Twenty-Five: Three months to turn twenty-five picture prompts into drabbles or one shots. Let's see how this goes, shall we?**

**Huge, huge thanks to Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties.**

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own an unnecessarily large carton of Goldfish.**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 13  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Bella/Edward  
Rating: M

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html

* * *

Cheddar. Pretzel. Original. Pizza. Whole Grain. S'mores Adventures. _Fuck, s'mores adventures?_ _How is that a flavor? _

My eyes scanned the shelves in front of me. Three rows of selections. For one product. Nobody needed this many choices. I could barely look for a new app for my phone without my head exploding. How the hell was I supposed to know which one to choose?

As I ran my hand through my hair, tightening my grip on the basket in my other hand, I caught a glimpse of faded red to my left. I knew that shirt. It was my shirt.

"Jasper!" Darting down the aisle I grabbed him and hauled him back to where I'd been standing.

"Look. Look at that!" I pointed at the offending rows.

"Nice to see you too, Edward. Funny running into you here. How are you doing this fine evening?" The little thief was pulling on the edge of his shirt, correction _my_ shirt that he was wearing.

"Stop stretching out my shirt, dude. You're my roommate, I see you every day. It's 2am on a Tuesday at Wal-Mart in Forks. This is not that big of a coincidence. Now _look_."

With an emphatic sigh, Jasper turned to face the aisle. "What am I looking at here?"

"Goldfish."

"Goldfish? Right, well I got that. But why exactly am I looking at Goldfish crackers? You sprout a kid I don't know about? Better yet, why do you look like you're going to tear your hair out or cry while looking at Goldfish crackers?"

I wanted to smack that smirk off his face.

"Well, Bella…you remember Bella?"

"Yes Edward, I remember Bella. Bella, who you have talked nonstop about for two months. Bella, who has come to every party our house has thrown. Bella, who thinks that ridiculous mop of hair on your head is sexy. Bella, with the big brown eyes and sweet, sweet ass. Bella, who swoons when you walk in the door. Bella, who just gets you, who just understands you like no one else can. That Bella?"

"I hate you so much right now."

"Hey, you dragged me down here. I was just on my way to get some beer and was accosted by a crazy person with a fetish for children's crackers."

"Just-" I looked up at the ceiling, blowing out air through my nose. "She's sick. And I went over to see if she needed anything and she gave me a list. She wants Goldfish."

"So, get her Goldfish."

"There are 15 different kinds of Goldfish here, Jasper! And those are just the ones in bags!" I grabbed a box off the shelf. "What the shit is this? Did you know they come in boxes too? And what about these?" I put the box back, reaching for another. "Does she want 100 calorie packs? Who only wants 100 calories of Goldfish? That's gotta be like, what, 5 fish? So, she probably doesn't want that. But she is sick, so maybe she only wants 5 fish. Or does she want a carton? Who needs that many? Maybe she does, I don't know. Maybe she really, really likes Goldfish. I mean, that's a shit ton of Goldfish and she's tiny, but the girl can eat."

"Dude, okay. Edward?" Jasper paused, his eyes darting to my hand holding the box of fish. It was folded in two. "You need to take a breath, put that back on the shelf before they make you buy it and calm the fuck down."

I set the box back with a sigh. "It's just, she's sick and I want help and I really don't want to blow it with her."

"I don't think she's going to dump you over the wrong kind of crackers," Jasper chuckled. "Okay, okay, okay," he held his hands up at my pleading look. "You said she was sick. Fever or cold or what?"

"No she's, like, _sick_. It's not pretty. She could barely tell me what she wanted without hurling," I waved the now crumpled yellow paper in his face.

"So she probably doesn't need pizza Goldfish, or chocolate. Whoa, they make chocolate Goldfish? That's…well, that sounds kinda delicious, right?"

"Jasper, please. Focus."

"Right, right. So, just get the regular ones. Something easy on her stomach."

"Which would be?" I gestured between cheddar and original.

"Huh. I would have said cheddar _was_ original, but…" he scratched the back of his neck in a move I'd seen him do for the last 3 years whenever he was thinking. Finally he grabbed a blue and white bag off the shelf and threw it into my basket.

"Original. There. Now what else you got on that list?"

I handed him the list and we started towards the cereal aisle. "Cheerios, I think. That should be easy enough."

I scanned the rows of cereal looking for the familiar yellow box. I stopped in my tracks when I found it.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me."

I could see Jasper's shoulders shaking from the corner of my eye. "There are…ten kinds of Cheerios. Oh shit, chocolate Cheerios? That's just wrong."

I turned to look at him, wide-eyed. "I was having a hard enough time trying to decide between original and honey nut. Now..." I gestured vaguely at the four rows of Cheerios.

"Oh, this is easy. Multi-grain because that shit's delicious and it's got like one of each kind so you can't go wrong."

*O*O*O*

Shifting the bags in my right hand to my left I let myself into Bella's with the keys I'd swiped earlier. The door shut behind me as I moved through the living room into the kitchen, keeping the lights off as I went. I quickly put away the cold stuff before grabbing a Sprite and a bendy straw and making my way back through the living room and down the hall towards her bedroom. She hadn't asked for bendy straws, but I was pretty certain it was a scientific fact that you had to drink out of bendy straws when you were sick or things just got worse. It's just what you did.

The lights were out but the light from the street lamp next to her window poured through the partially open blinds. She had kicked her comforter to the corner of the bed and lay naked except for her underwear. I could see the goosebumps along her back from the doorway.

I slipped off my shoes and jeans, leaving me in my boxer briefs and t-shirt. Padding over to the bed, I set the Sprite and straw down on her nightstand and sat down gently. She shivered, curling in on herself.

"Bella?" I ran my hand down her chilled flesh, reaching up to smooth the damp hair away from her face. She was sweating despite obviously being cold. "Hey," I said softly, scooting further onto the bed. "Do you think you can sit up a bit?"

I reached down toward the twisted pile of blanket, pulling it up her legs.

"Too hot," she moaned, feebly kicking the blanket back off.

"Bella, you're freezing. You've got a fever. Do you think you can stomach some Tylenol?"

"Ohgodnogoaway." Her voice was barely above a whisper as she turned her back to me.

"I'm not leaving you alone when you're sick."

"I'm gross. Go away."

I just chuckled and slid fully into the bed. I reached out, pulling her body until she was against me, face pressed to my neck.

"You're not listening," she mumbled.

"Nice sheets."

"Everyone likes zebras. Shut up." Her voice was losing what little strength it had as her body settled into mine.

I wrapped one arm around her shoulders, the other one looped underneath her body, smoothing down her back.

"Get your hand off my ass, Cullen."

I smiled against her temple, moving my hand up her back again, trying to warm her.

"Perv."

"Don't puke on me, okay?"

*O*O*O*

I woke up twice throughout the early morning. The first time she was on top of me, legs straddling my torso, head tucked under my chin, arms curled under her and wedged between our bodies on top of me. At some point she'd pulled the comforter back up. I was sweating my balls off. It was like having a 110lb heater attached to your chest and then you put a down blanket over it. Slowly I began to peel back the comforter but she started shivering almost immediately. I settled for having my arms outside the cocoon-of-hotness and managed to kick my feet free. I was going to sweat to death with this beautiful girl sitting on my chest.

The second time I woke up it was because that beautiful girl kicked me in the fucking head. Somehow she'd twisted and her feet were now alarmingly close to my face, her head by my feet. Rather than risk another blow I grabbed a pillow and folded myself until my head was next to hers.

The last thing I registered before falling back asleep were the damp baby hairs curling lightly against her forehead and her impossibly long lashes almost dusting against the top of her fever flushed cheeks.

*O*O*O*

"Better?"

She nodded, setting the Sprite back on her nightstand, the straw twirling and bobbing.

"Thanks for coming over last night. You didn't have to do that." She sat with her back against the headboard, head resting on her knees which she'd pulled up against her chest. She turned her face to rest her cheek against the fabric of the blanket, smiling shyly at me.

"Bella, you're sick. Of course I came over."

"I'm just glad I didn't throw up on you."

"Yeah," I chuckled, "me too."

"Shut up." She knocked her elbow against my side.

"You think you could eat something? Maybe some goldfish?"

She scrunched up her nose and looked at me doubtfully. "I don't know."

"You need to eat something. C'mon, just a few fish." I reached behind me and pulled the bag of Goldfish I'd grabbed when I woke up, off the floor. I shook the bag at her. "They're the snack that smiles back…until you bite their head off!"

Her eyes got wide as she looked at the bag.

"What? Have you not heard that terrible bit of marketing? To kids no less." I shook a couple of fish into my hand and held it out.

She took a few, still staring oddly at them. "You got the right ones." The fish were no longer smiling as she popped them into her mouth.

"The right ones?"

"Everyone always gets the cheddar ones, but the original are the best ones." She was grinning now. "You got me the right goldfish."

Suddenly she was in my arms and I was flat on my back. Her hair fell around us as she beamed down at me. "You came and took care of me while I was sick and you got me the right goldfish."

Jasper could keep the damn shirt.

"Well, you know, I do what I can." I ran my hands down her back and smiled back. This time when I moved my hands lower she didn't tell me to move them. She just cocked her head, still smiling. I shrugged. Jasper was right, it was a very fine ass.

"Still a perv. I'm a sick woman, Cullen."

"Stop looking so good when you're sick and I'll stop copping a feel." She rolled her eyes at that, but leaned down and pressed her lips to mine before I could say anything else. Kissing her never got old. Even sick, she sparked something in me that I'd never felt before.

She pulled back before I could get carried away. "Thank you."

Scooting down, she settled herself against me. "You're welcome, beautiful," I mumbled against her hair.

Her ice-cold toes wormed their way in between my legs, burrowing for heat.

"What time did you finally go to the store last night?" Her breath warmed my skin through my shirt.

"Hmm? Oh, not too late. Hey, did you know there are 15 different kinds of Goldfish?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975 and Coolbreeeze for beta and hand holding duties.**

**Stephenie Meyer has Twilight; I have friends in spite of myself.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 25  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Alice/Bella  
Rating: T

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html

* * *

There is something to be said for silence. For knowing someone so long that words become unnecessary. It's not that words would complicate or muddle the true intention of what you're trying to say. They're just not necessary. There's something to knowing that all you need at this moment, at this terrible, horrible moment while your world crumbles down around you, is to stand here, your feet in the ruins of something once good, and hold your best friend's hand and watch the sunrise. To know that eventually? Eventually things will be okay.

There's something to be said for silence.


	3. Chapter 3

**I hated this prompt. Those legs? Uch. No thanks, no thanks.**

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer rocks Twilight; I'm currently rocking a man voice. Sexy.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 3  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Bella/Edward  
Rating: T

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html

* * *

"Stop running away from me." His footsteps paused. "I love you!"

She turned to face him, eyes wide, a smile on her lips. "You love me?

He nodded.

"You've known me three hours, Crazypants." She headed back to her car.

"It's Edward!" He smiled when she looked over her shoulder. "Not Crazypants. And I'm pretty sure you love me too. Or you will."

"You're insane."

"Love'll do that."

She stopped at her car, twirling the keys. "So, what now?"

He shrugged. "Get married; have a gaggle of kids; let our love grow."

"That sounds boring."

"So, let's spice it up."


	4. Chapter 4

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own a sunburn on my legs with three very white finger marks. Y'all wish you were this sexy.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 2  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Bella/Rosalie  
Rating: M

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html

* * *

He walked over to her table, the muscles she'd been admiring all night shifting under his blue cotton t-shirt.

_Fucking finally._

She smiled as he leaned on the sticky table top, taking in the cool, slate gray of his eyes.

"So, I was wondering. Your friend, the blonde? Is she single?"

_Of course. Stupid girl. Why should tonight be any different? Why should he be any different?_

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, she's single."

"Awesome."

She smiled wanly as they were joined at the table.

"Rose, Blue Shirt. Blue Shirt, Rose. Enjoy."

"Bella, where are you going?"

"I need a fucking drink."


	5. Chapter 5

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own a ridiculous number of penguin figurines.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 5  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Esme  
Rating: K

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html

* * *

Her fingers came in contact with the ribbon first, soft and silky against her aged skin. Next they found the worn, yellowed paper, raised indents like Braille.

Slowly, she brought the small bundle out of the old cigar box. Cursing the tremble of her hands she set the box on the floor.

She untied the ribbon and unfolded the first letter. Her hands ran over the neat script. She didn't need sight to know what was written on the pages.

Promises of hope and love. Confessions of desire and longing. A heart laid bare. A heart that claimed her own.


	6. Chapter 6

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own a giant bottle of Sparkle window cleaner.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 9  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Bella/Edward  
Rating: K

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html

* * *

"Dude, get your face off my window. It'll get here when it gets here."

I turned towards her voice and smiled at the picture before me. Her hair was up, loose pieces falling around her face. An old apron was tied around her bulging waistline and pink toes wiggled against the hardwood.

"You're such a cliché right now."

"I'm serious, I just cleaned those."

"Ooh, and you're nesting too!" She rolled her eyes.

"Go get the window cleaner, Edward." A timer went off behind her. "I'm serious!"

I caught a glimpse of brown out the window.

"Crib's here!"

"Window cleaner!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I do not own a bike because lugging it up three flights of stairs is not my idea of a fun time.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 12  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Bella/Edward  
Rating: T

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html

* * *

The door closed behind her and he could hear the yelling inside from his spot on the porch swing.

He took a moment to look at her before she noticed him. All limbs and elbows and knees, like an unsteady colt.

She turned red-rimmed eyes on him. There was too much sadness in those eyes. He didn't like it.

"What're you-"

"Come on," he stood, nodding towards his bike.

"Where?"

He shrugged. "Dunno. Picnic maybe? Let's just get out of here."

Some of the sadness faded as she nodded, following him. He liked that he could do that for her.


	8. Chapter 8

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own an insane number of Sharpie pens, but I do not own that last line of dialogue. Guess that movie and win a prize.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 16  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Emmett/Rosalie  
Rating: M

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html

* * *

Type up invoice. Make copies of invoice. Mail out copies of invoice. File invoice.

Type up invoice. Make copies of invoice. Mail out copies of invoice. File invoice.

_Shit, it's almost 2._

Heels muted by thin carpet made their way towards me. I waited for her to pass before rolling to the edge of my cubical to watch.

Legs for days, an ass that wouldn't quit and long blonde hair that was just begging me to wrap it around my hand.

She caught my eye and smiled before turning the corner.  
_  
_"She is just the best part of my day."


	9. Chapter 9

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own a neglected, purple yoga mat.**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 17  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Bella/Edward  
Rating: M

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html

* * *

"Just a little to the left."

"Oh my god! Seriously? It's centered! Nothing has ever been this centered before. Yoga masters all over the world are jealous of how centered it is. Can we please just hang the damn thing?"

"Bella."

"Edward."

"To the left. Please."

"If I hear you say, 'to the left' one more time I'm dropping this stupid light on your stupid, perfectionist head." I moved my shaking arms to the god damn left.

He was blissfully silent, head cocked, bright green eyes squinting at the light fixture in my hands.

"A little to the right."

"Fucker."


	10. Chapter 10

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own tickets to see Inception tonight.**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 22  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Bella/Edward  
Rating: M

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html  
-

* * *

"Holy shit, what are you doing!"

"Shhh," he chuckled in my ear, cool fingers moving steadily up my bare thigh.

"Edward, we're in a movie theater. In public!" I hissed as his hand inched under my skirt.

"I know. That's why you need to be quiet." I could feel his smile against my neck.

He leaned forward, quickly pulling the armrest up before his right arm snaked around my waist, pulling me against him. His left hand continued its tortuously slow path.

I moved my hand to his wrist at the moment long fingers grazed damp cotton.

"Shit, don't stop."


	11. Chapter 11

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I don't own emotion, I rent.**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 14  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Bella/Edward  
Rating: M

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html

* * *

"Why don't you just- just- ugh- go climb a tree!" She was dangerously close to stomping her foot, frustration and anger radiating out of her.

"Go climb a tree? Really?"

She narrowed her eyes at him before turning on her heel.

"Bella, come on. Come back here."

"Fuck off."

"Stop." His hand was on her bare arm now. "We need to talk."

"Don't touch me." He dropped his hand, but continued following her.

"Come on. We're not done here."

"You know what? You don't get to decide that right now."

"Please don't walk out."

The door slammed against his plea.


	12. Chapter 12

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975 and Coolbreeeze for beta/pre-reading duties. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own a large ceramic lobster named Jacques.**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 7  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Bella  
Rating: T

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html  
-

* * *

I want to lie down. I want to curl in on myself and let everything pass me by. I want to not think, to have no decisions to make. I don't want to want things. I want to be free of the burden of doing, being, needing.

I have no energy, no desire to keep going but I do. I put one foot in front of the other, past streetlights and old trees and I walk. I walk because if I stop I won't be able to start again. I walk because it's easier than making the choice not to.


	13. Chapter 13

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties and for dealing with more than their fair share of, "Yes, I know it's a run-on sentence, but I like it!" heh.  
**

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own a new bottle of honeysuckle perfume.**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 8  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Bella/Edward  
Rating: M

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html

* * *

"You look nice."

"Knock it off. Of course I look nice," I hissed. I smoothed the front of my dress unnecessarily, brushing past him.

"I can't tell my friend she looks nice?"

"No, you can't." I was tired of this conversation.

He was quiet behind me and I turned to face him. He quirked an eyebrow.

"You can't tell me I look nice because we are about to walk into a house where your ex-wife, who just happens to be _my_ best friend, is waiting. You can't tell me I look nice because you don't want to just be my friend. And I look more than nice. I look fantastic, asshole."

"Bella."

"I'm serious Edward, we're not having this talk again. And certainly not here."

He held up his hands, nodding; but I knew he wouldn't drop it. Sighing, I turned again, moving past the line of cars parked along the street and headed for the front door. I heard his heavy steps behind me and ignored the buzz that went through my body as he leaned around me to ring the door bell.

"I would have said you look beautiful, but I was afraid you'd hit me." His lips skimmed my ear and then they were gone as he straightened, the front door swinging open.

***O*O*O* **

"Did you and Edward come together?"

I choked on the wine I'd just taken a drink of. "I'm sorry, what?"

Angela eyed me carefully. "I asked if you and Edward drove here together," she said slowly.

"Oh, uh, no. No, we just got here at the same time."

"Bella, I know you're friends. It's okay. We've been divorced for a year. We've had this talk. You can still be his friend." She ran a finger around the edge of her glass, her eyes trained on me.

"I know, Ang." I grabbed the open bottle off the counter I was leaning on. I was going to need a hell of a lot more wine to get through this night. "We are friends, but we just happened to get here at the same time." I tipped the contents of the bottle into my glass. "Honest."

I caught of glimpse of copper hair from the corner of my eye. He was talking to Emmett and Jasper out in the living room. Those three were worse than sorority girls. He looked up then, smirking when he saw me watching him. Rolling my eyes I took a long pull from my glass, turning my attention back to Angela.

She followed where my gaze had been. "I wonder what the Tri Delta Douches are talking about."

I snorted quietly. "I'm sure I don't want to know."

***O*O*O***

It was a perfect late Spring night; warm with just a hint of a breeze and you could smell yesterday's rain still on the flowers and grass. I watched the flames in the fire pit, tuning out the conversations around me.

"Come with me?"

"Keep walking, Cullen." I'd known he was there, my body practically hummed when he was near like some sort of odd, Edward-centric tuning fork.

"I'm asking, as a _friend_ if you'd please come with me?"

"Go find another friend to harass. I'm quite comfortable where I am, thank you."

"Bella, please."

"No means no, Edward."

He leaned against the railing of the deck, his hip cocked out, watching me. I ignored the way his gray t-shirt pulled across his shoulders and kept my eyes on the flames. I started when I felt his fingers on my bare arm. I closed my eyes and took a breath before looking at him.

"Come on." He nodded toward the house, and pushed off the railing, heading back inside.

He didn't look back, but I followed. I always did.

***O*O*O* **

I walked through the house, slipping past the small clusters of people that had gathered. Emmett raised an eyebrow when he saw me headed in the same direction Edward had just gone. Nosy little shit. I ignored him and kept walking. The bobbing, bronze hair I'd been following disappeared behind a door at the end of the hallway.

The room was dark save for strings of white lights outlining the doorway and windows. I could make out a poster tacked to the wall, just beside the doorway.

"What do you want?" I asked, my eyes adjusting. "And who decorated this room? Jesus, we're not in college anymore."

"Stop being such a snob; the lights are nice. I want to dance."

"I'm not dancing with you, Nut Job." He was suddenly right behind me, hands resting lightly on my hips. "There's not even any music," I said quietly, lamely.

"Dance with me, Bella. Please." He slowly turned me to face him. One hand slid around to the small of my back, the other skimmed from shoulder to wrist, lifting my arms one at a time to loop around his neck.

I hated that he cracked my resolve so easily. "I can't. Ang is-"

"I don't want to talk about Angela anymore."

"She's your wife."

"Ex. She's my ex-wife," he corrected quickly. He rested his forehead against mine, swaying us almost imperceptibly.

"Well, she's still my best friend." His lashes were unfairly long. I closed my eyes. "I can't do this."

"Yes you can. Look, you're doing it right now."

"Edward."

"Tell me you don't feel it and I'll stop. Tell me you don't feel anything and I'll walk away."

I sighed. Not feeling something wasn't the problem. I'd been feeling things for eight years. Feeling things and watching as my two friends fell in love and got married. Feeling things was the problem.

"It's not about that. You made your choice."

"I chose wrong. I chose wrong and we both knew it. Fuck, all three of us knew it." His fingertips squeezed my hips, searing their mark through my dress and onto my skin. "Let me make it right." He ran his nose along mine, lips ghosting over my skin, across my cheek as he spoke.

"I can't."

"You won't."

"There's more to think about than just you and me. She won't-"

"She knows."

I opened my eyes at that. He nodded, moving his hands up from my waist to cup my face. I couldn't think when he looked at me like that. "I told her. When we both finally admitted it wasn't working, I told her."

"She never. Not once. She never said-"

"No, I don't imagine she would."

"And you!" I backed away out of his hold, feeling foolish, angry. "You just fucking told her? This whole time you've known that she's known and I've been going on and on about how we can't thinking that she doesn't know. Jesus, Edward. What the hell? What did you tell her?"

"I told her the truth. I told her I love you. That I've loved you for eight years."

"You _what_? Of all the stupid, idiotic, fucking dipshit things you could say." I was pacing now, too furious to look at his stupid face. He was quiet as I moved back and forth across the room and smart enough to keep his mouth shut when I ran into the futon folded up against the wall. My shin throbbing I stopped and turned to look at him.

"So, let me make sure I have this right. You," I pointed a finger at him, "took it upon yourself to tell your ex-wife, my best friend by the way, that you were in love with me? For eight years. And the first time I'm hearing about any of this is in some emobitch, college kid's room?"

He took a step towards me, nodding. "You're kind of acting like a little emobitch yourself, so it seemed fitting." I'd smack that crooked, smug smile off his face if I wouldn't miss it so damn much.

"You're such a punk." He was walking towards me now, holding his hands up. "Put your hands down, asshole."

He stopped in front of me, lowering his hands to rest on my hips again. "Would you please stop calling me names and look at me."

I looked up from the spot on his shirt I'd been staring at, meeting his eyes. "I love you, Bella Swan. And if you're all done yelling at me I'd like to focus on that." He was smiling, his thumbs rubbing circles at my hips.

"I wasn't yelling. I was talking. Forcefully." I let my hands rest against his chest. "You love me?" I hated how small my voice sounded.

"I do."

"I love you too, you know."

"I know." His stupid lopsided grin was so big it was ridiculous. And then his lips were on mine. And with a push and pull of lips and tongues I was able to finally, blissfully stop thinking.

I moved my hands to his face, all but pulling it against mine desperate to feel him against me.

He broke away, his forehead against mine, his breath against my cheeks. "I should have done that the first time you walked into my dorm room."

I smiled, lifting onto my toes, pushing his head back. I felt his lips pull up as I brought mine against them. "Shut up."

"Whatever you say."


	14. Chapter 14

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own six boxes of Tootsie Pop Drops.**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 4  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Bella/Edward  
Rating: M

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html

* * *

The winter cold seeped through her clothes, her skin, her blood, to sink into her bones.

"What're you doing out here?"

"Everything's turning to shit." She didn't move to face him, letting the wind carry her words.

"And freezing to death is going to fix that?"

He was behind her. She could feel his warmth radiating out to her. "Come on, B."

She turned and fit her face against his chest. His arms came around her, securing her to him, grounding her.

"It's all turning to shit."

"I know," he whispered, holding her tighter, letting her cry in the cold.


	15. Chapter 15

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975 and Coolbreeeze for beta/pre-reading duties.  
**

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own the box set of Firefly, which I will be watching for the umpteenth time later.**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 10  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Bella/Edward  
Rating: T

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html

* * *

I was running late. I headed down the stairs, uncapping the deodorant in my hand.

_Don't trip. Don't trip. Don't trip._

Raising my arm, I rounded the landing. Quickly looking down I rubbed the deodorant in.

I repeated the process on the other arm as I moved down the stairs.

Arm still in the air, I looked up to make sure I didn't miss a step. _Shit._

"Uh, hi."

He was leaning against a bike, a crooked smile across his face. "Hi."

I snapped my arm down, waving as I moved out the door.

The deodorant was still in my hand. Awesome. _  
_


	16. Chapter 16

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975 and Coolbreeeze for beta/pre-reading duties. **

**Stephenie Meyer rocks Twilight; I'm currently rocking a bruise on my foot the size of a softball. Seriously people, it takes work to be this sexy.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 21  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Bella/Edward  
Rating: T

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html

* * *

"Let go!"

"Oh my god, I'm not letting go!" The rope cut into my bare thighs as I tightened my grip.

He was laughing as I swung back towards him. "You have to let go."

"I'll fall!"

"That's the idea," he chuckled as he caught me around the waist, hands lingering.

"I'm going to push you out again and this time you're going to jump. Leap of faith, B." His lips were against my ear and then I was being pushed out over the water again.

"Let go!"

I let go, thrilling at the fall before plunging under the water.


	17. Chapter 17

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975 and Coolbreeeze for beta/pre-reading duties. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own a new giant beach tote. It's huge. Every one of you could fit in it.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 19  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Bella/Edward  
Rating: T

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html

* * *

"You don't have to do this. I'm not even that good. You probably-"

"Don't. Don't do that. I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to be. I want to hear you play." Walking away from the piano, I smiled over my shoulder before looking around the room.

I heard him settle on the bench.

I looked over my shoulder again when no sound came. "Play me something pretty?"

He smiled, long fingers settling onto ivory keys.

Notes and emotion and beauty flew from his fingers, swirling around me. I turned to face him, blushing when I caught his gaze .


	18. Chapter 18

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975 and Coolbreeeze for beta/pre-reading duties. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own all of Tasha's commas.**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 23  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Bella/Edward  
Rating: T

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html

* * *

It was pouring. I stayed under the safety of the awning and pulled out a cigarette, hunting for a lighter.

"Light?"

He was soaked, auburn hair plastered to his forehead, moss colored eyes crinkling at the corners. His long fingers held a silver Zippo.

"Uh, sure."

The sound of rain against cloth, the wheel striking the flint filled my ears as he lifted the flame.

I inhaled. "Thanks."

Something caught my eye. "Can I see?"

He passed the lighter to me, our fingers brushing. I looked up, wide-eyed, startled by the spark I felt.

He was grinning. "Hi, I'm Edward."


	19. Chapter 19

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975 and Coolbreeeze for beta/pre-reading duties. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own an extremely tight deadline to get the rest of these written and posted. Yay for procrastination.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 15  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Bella  
Rating: K

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html

* * *

There is freedom in the water. Your body becomes light, weightless. You dive in and as the water engulfs you, flooding every sense, every thought is suddenly ordered, clearer. Every trouble, every worry, everything slips away until it's only you and the water. You and this heavy, weightless, floating medium that holds you when you're too tired to do any more. It defies gravity for you. It caresses you as you move, not missing an inch of skin, not letting any spot feel left out.

There is freedom, but there is also sorrow, a heaviness that returns when you leave.


	20. Chapter 20

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975 and Coolbreeeze for beta/pre-reading duties. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own 140+ books that I've never read. Shameful, I know.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 18  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Bella/Lucy  
Rating: K

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html

* * *

"Boots, Lucy!"

"Got 'em, Ma." Little hands pulled on green rubber boots. Backpack in hand, she headed towards the door. "Come onnnn!"

Bella rounded the corner. "Hey Bossy Boots, calm down. You have your notes?"

Lucy held her hand up, waving white notecards, her mama's chestnut hair bouncing as she dashed out the door.

Bella followed. Lucy was stopped at the end of the driveway; she turned, her daddy's green eyes watering. The cards were floating in a puddle.

"Sweet girl..." Bella pulled out notecards from her purse and the smile that spread across Lucy's face was all her own.


	21. Chapter 21

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975 and Coolbreeeze for beta/pre-reading duties. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; after scouring the state of Indiana I finally own a pair of shorts.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 06  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Bella/Edward  
Rating: M

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html

* * *

"Have you ever had a threesome?"

My head shot up. "I'm sorry?"

She was blushing. "A threesome. Have you ever had one?"

I looked over at her book. "What kind of homework is that, exactly?"

"You're not answering."

"What brought this on?"

She shrugged, gesturing around the library. "We're in a place of knowledge."

I shifted in my seat. "Bella, I-"

"I haven't, but..."

"But?"

"The idea intrigues me." She ducked her head at that.

It was silent a moment. "No, I haven't."

"But...?"

"But the idea intrigues me," I parroted.

She smiled broadly before going back to her homework.


	22. Chapter 22

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975 and Coolbreeeze for beta/pre-reading duties and ikiss and distantxdream and the 800 other people I accosted yelling, "DOES THIS WORK? DO YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON?" **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own a playbill for Rent signed by three of the original cast members.**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 1  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Bella/Edward  
Rating: T

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html

* * *

_Alice bailed. Rose is working. I'm bored and lack the ability to entertain myself. Do it for me. -B_

I tossed my phone onto the couch. Flipping channels I settled on a wonderfully horrific scifi movie.

I glanced at the clock. Only five minutes? It felt like an hour.

_I totally set you up. No response? Seriously? -B__  
_  
_We're in a fight. -B_

_We're in a big-ass fight. -B  
_

Sometime during my obsessive clock watching I fell asleep. I woke to roaming lips and hands.

"Are we still in a big-ass fight?"

"Maybe. Take off your scrubs and ask again."


	23. Chapter 23

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975 and Coolbreeeze for beta/pre-reading duties. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own a new Diet Coke t-shirt! *ahem*  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 20  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Bella/Edward  
Rating: T

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html

* * *

"You're not the only one in this relationship!" Her voice crackled through the pay phone.

"I know that. You think I don't know that?" His hand gripped the black plastic; his forehead fell to the cool metal.

"Then come home. Come home so we can figure this out. Please." His eyes squeezed shut at her plea.

"I can't. I have- I have to fix this first."

"Fix what? Damn it Edward, _come home_."

He took a breath before he spoke. "Soon, baby. Soon. I have to go."

The plastic clicked against metal before her sobs could wreck him further.


	24. Chapter 24

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own an extremely worn copy of _Bird by Bird_ that I will be rereading on vacation...for probably the tenth time.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 24  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Bella/Edward  
Rating: K

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html

* * *

"It's kind of teeny." She pulled her sleeves down over her hands, spinning in a circle in the kitchen.

He nodded. "Yeah."

"Floor squeaks." She bounced on a loose floorboard.

He nodded again, scrubbing a hand on the back of his neck, watching her move around the small space.

"Bathroom's super ugly," she called.

She came into the hallway. "Closet?" She nodded at the closed door.

"Bedroom."

She opened the door, looking inside. "Closet."

"Do you hate it?" he asked as she stood in front of him.

She smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I love it."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."


	25. Chapter 25

**It's the last one! Big, big love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties and dealing with all of my crazy. There's a lot of it.  
**

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; Eddie Money own "Take Me Home Tonight"; whoever wrote A Lot Like Love owns that; I own a bag of those new mini marshmallows dipped in chocolate.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five  
Prompt #: 11  
Pen name: CrumblingFool  
Pairing: Bella/Edward  
Rating: M

Photos for prompts can be found here:  
community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/13912[dot]html

* * *

Bella tightened her grip on the steering wheel of her old truck in frustration, letting up on the gas pedal as the car in front of her slowed even more.

"Deep breaths."

She turned to look at him, huffing in response. Honking, she sped up a little, edging the truck's bumper closer to the car.

"Seriously, take a breath. Your face is turning purple," he tried again. She scowled at the road.

"Shut up." She pulled into the next lane, speeding up. She stuck her head out the open window, shouting, "Get off the road, asshole!" as she drove by the offending car.

Grabbing their straws from an earlier fast food stop, Edward stuck them under his lips, in front of his canines. "Smile? For me? Come on, B."

She couldn't help but laugh.

"Where are we going, anyway?"

She glanced over at him, then back at the road. "North," was all she said as the city faded behind them.

***O*O*O***

"And you know what the worst part is? This entire time she's been acting like all of this is my fault when she was the one who started pulling away first."

She fiddled with the radio, glancing between Edward and the road, searching for a station that wasn't static.

"I mean, yeah, I was busy with work, but that was something that would benefit both of us."

"Uh huh," Bella turned the dial minutely. _Ha! Finally!_ She turned the volume up a little.

Edward looked down at the radio, but kept talking. "I was trying to support us. I was building a career. I _am_ building a career."

"Oooh, ooh, ooh," she sang over him, looking out the corner of her eye to gauge his reaction.

"Does she just want to me to not give a shit about work? She used to like that I was driven."

Bella turned the volume up a little. "Yeahyeah, yeaaah, yeah."

Desert flew past them outside the truck, telephone lines the only reprieve from the monotony of sand and mountains on either side of the road.

"Do you know," he was talking over her now, "that I came home ten minutes late one time and she threw a bottle of wine at my head?"

She turned the volume up again. "I feel a hunger. It's a hunger that tries to keep a man awake at night. Are you the answer? I shouldn't wonder when I feel you whet my appetite," she sang louder.

"A bottle of wine! At my head!" He was shouting now.

"With all the power you're releasing it isn't safe to walk the city streets alone!" she was stumbling over the words, trying to sing through her laughter.

"Anticipation's running through me. Let's find the key and turn this engine on," he sang softly, eyes looking forward out the windshield.

She smiled over at him, cocking her head. "I can feel you breathe; I can feel your heart beat faster."

"Take me home tonight! I don't want to let you go till you see the light! Take me home tonight! Listen honey, just like Ronnie sang: be my little baby!" the both shouted, laughing as he leaned over to sing right in her face.

***O*O*O***

Bella got out of the car and tossed her jacket behind the seat. It landed next to her camera and an old quilt her grandmother made for her mother. She grabbed the blanket, fingering the worn green fabric, and walked to the back of the truck, laying it down in the bed. Edward hoisted himself up, careful not to spill the bottle of wine he'd opened and they settled themselves against the back of the cab, looking up at the sky.

There were no telephone poles or wires, no signs of anything modern besides them. The moon was bright and clear in the dark sky, a million stars that she'd never be able to see from her apartment, now visible.

"Did you love him?" Edward took a swig from the bottle, passing it to her.

"Jake? No. Maybe. Not like I should have." She lifted the bottle to her lips. "Did you love Kate?"

"I think so."

"You think so? You either did you or you didn't."

"I thought I did. If it wasn't love it was a lot like it" he rolled his eyes, grabbing the bottle out of her hands. "Sounds stupid when I say it out loud."

"Honestly? If you're not willing to sound stupid you don't deserve to be in love."

He chuckled, handing the bottle back to her. "Such an asshole."

She laughed, eyes wide. "What? It's true."

***O*O*O***

Edward stuck his head over the hood of the red truck, glancing around.

"What are you looking for? We're in the middle of the desert." Bella stood up, arms against her chest, ignoring the fact that his own naked chest was inches from hers. She glanced down at his blue long sleeved shirt in a pile next to their jeans and her white tank top.

"You looked! You said you weren't going to look!"

"I didn't!" for some reason they were whispering.

"That's not- You said you weren't going to-"

"I didn't. Now go!" She pointed then put her hands on his hips to push him away from her. His eyes darted down and she brought her arms back up against her chest.

"I did," he smiled, backing away to where she wanted him. He raised his eyebrows as he looked pointedly at her chest again.

"Shut up," she laughed.  
**  
**A minute later she stood behind her camera, mounted on a tripod now in front of her truck, looking through the lens at the view before her. Edward stood on a rock, moon bright behind him, hands cupping himself and looking incredibly uncomfortable in the beam of the truck's headlights.

"Ooh, looking good," she teased, laughing as his pale skin flushed lightly.

"Shut up."

Bella adjusted the aperture and lowered the shutter speed. "Nice ass, Cullen." She checked the focus one last time.

"You're just taking advantage of me now. Stop using me for my body."

She laughed and looked up at him. "Okay, the shutter's going to stay open for forty seconds and you have to hold very still. Got it?"

"Got it."

She set the timer. "Ready?"

"Ready."

Pressing the button she ran from behind the camera, across the chilled desert sand to Edward. "Coldcoldcold!"

She hopped up onto the rock, quickly pressing her body against his, wrapping her arms around him. She looked up at him as his hands smoothed across her waist, linking at the small of her back. His bronze hair was almost brown in the dark.

"Hi."

"Shh. No moving."

Green eyes darted from her lips up to her brown eyes, watching as she made the same path on his face. A slow smile spread across his lips.

"You're moving," she scolded. Her brown hair caught a slight breeze, brushing against her bare back. She pressed closer to him.

"Can't help it," he whispered. With the slowest of movements he brought his head towards hers, closing the few inches of space that had been between them.

And then she was pushing her lips against his, both of them tentative and eager at the same time. It'd been a long time since she felt his kiss, his bare skin. Too long since his hand had gripped her hip, her hands had threaded through the hair at the base of his skull. It was familiar and foreign, like muscle memory kicking in as you watch your body do something you forgot it learned.

She heard the shutter close and moved her hands to his hips, pushing, pulling, grabbing for him. He was lifting her, carrying her across the sand, setting her down on the blanket. There were hands and sighs and lips and they knew how to do this with each other. They knew this dance.

***O*O*O***

There was heat. Lots of heat. Above her, below her, completely surrounding her. Someone cleared their throat. Bella opened her eyes, squinting against the sun, letting her eyes adjust.

"Shit." She nudged Edward in the ribs. "Situpsitupsitup." She tried to smile at the police officer standing next to her truck. Clutching the the quilt to her chest she kicked Edward in the shin.

"The fuck?" he stretched lazily, flexing his hands where they rested against her hips.

"Wake up. Now," she hissed.

"Sir, Ma'am, do mind telling me what you're doing exactly?" The deep voice brought Edward out of his sleep haze. Scrambling they both sat up, staring at the uniformed man. "This is a national park, folks. So, I suggest you put your clothes back on," his lips twitched beneath his mustache, "and go back wherever it is that you came from. Clear?"

Bella almost burst out laughing when she got sight of their reflection in his aviators.

"Clear," they both managed.

They waited until he'd turned around and headed back to his car before looking at each other.

"Oh my god!" Edward breathed with a smile.

She giggled, dropping her head onto his shoulder, his skin warmed from the early morning sun.

They sat quietly for a moment before Bella raised her head. "Ready?"

He sighed, looking down at her and then nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

* * *

**My love for this movie is a little bit insane and the car scene is one of my favorites. www[dot]youtube[dot]com/watch?v=eX28BVuRrJg**

**Thanks to everyone who has been reading. Y'all are the best!  
**


End file.
